Obituary of May 29, 1868
"Col. Robert McMillan was born on 7th January 1805 near the city of Belfast, Ireland, and died in Clarksville, Ga., on 6th May 1868. From the son of the deceased I learn that he came to America about the year 1832, and engaged in mercantile pursuits in Augusta, Ga. In 1836 he was married to Miss Ruth A. Banks, of Elbert co., where he settled and continue his mercantile pursuits until 1839, when he abandoned this for the profession of the law and legislator." F. G. Hughes"
He put his heart, soul, and money into the Confederate cause and raised and commanded the 24th Georgia Regiment. Although nearly sixty years old he was noted for his bravery. When General Thomas R. R. Cobb fell, mortally wounded at Fredricksburg, Col. McMillan was placed in temporary command and would have been made Brigadier-General but his health failed and he came home to die."
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=54506377
24th Georgia Infantry Regiment, organized during the summer of 1861, recruited its members in White, Banks, Towns, Rabun, Gwinnett, Elbert, and Hall counties. After serving in the Department of North Carolina, the unit moved to Virginia where it was brigaded under Generals H. Cobb, T.R.R. Cobb, Wofford, and DuBose. It fought in the difficult campaigns of the Army of Northern Virginia from the Seven Days' Battles to Gettysburg, then moved with Longstreet. The 24th was not engaged at Chickamauga, but did see action in the Knoxville Campaign (Fort Sanders). Returned to Virginia it participated in the conflicts at The Wilderness, Spotsylvania, and Cold Harbor, was active in the Shenandoah Valley, and surrendered at Appomattox.
The field officers were
Colonels Robert McMillan and C.C. Sanders, Lieutenant Colonels Joseph N. Chandler and Thomas E. Winn, and
Majors Robert E. McMillan and Frederick C. Smith.
BRIGADE HEADQUARTERS,
Fredericksburg, Va., December 20
, 1862
.
Maj. JAMES M. GOGGIN,
Assistant Adjutant-General.
1 have the honor to report to you the part taken by this brigade in the battle of Fredericksburg.
On the morning of the 11th instant, at 5 o'clock, the brigade was put under arms and in position, and so remained until 7 p.m., when the Eighteenth and Twenty-fourth Georgia Regiments and Phillips' Legion were marched into Fredericksburg by General Cobb, to relieve General Barksdale, and took position on our line of battle in the road along the foot of Marye's Hill, crossing the Telegraph road, by which the enemy advanced--the Legion on the left, Twenty-fourth Georgia in the center, and Eighteenth on the right. The men lay on their arms during the night. Our pickets and scouts took 15 prisoners. Close and heavy skirmishing was kept up during Friday, the 12th, and on that night we again rested on our arms.
At day break on the 13th, skirmishing again commenced, accompanied by the enemy's shells. This was kept up continuously until about 11 a.m., when the advance of the enemy drove in our pickets, and his column approached the left of our line by the Telegraph road and deployed toward our right. He had succeeded in planting three stand of colors along our front, and when his column had been deployed about twothirds of the distance on his line, one well-directed fire had so - ranks that the survivors retreated. General Cobb, whose fall we so much deplore, lived to see this first signal repulse and the bravery of the troops he so well commanded. About twelve or fifteen minutes thereafter, General Cobb fell, mortally wounded, and I took command of the brigade. Soon another column, heavier than the first, advanced in our front and moved steadily forward to their colors near our center. As the column approached, I directed the small-arms to cease until the enemy should get nearer. So soon as he got within certain range, our fire mowed down his ranks until they faltered and the survivors retreated. They were met by a strong re-enforcement, and again advanced upon us in heavier force, and this time the slaughter in their ranks was terrific, and we again drove them back. Column after column was brought up during the afternoon, and the battle continued until after dark. In every attack the enemy was repulsed with immense slaughter. During the afternoon a courier informed me that you had sent the Sixteenth Georgia Regiment to the mill to await orders. I sent for that regiment and placed it on our right, to strengthen and protect that point, which it held during the remainder of the engagement.
We rested on our arms that night, and throughout the next day (Sunday, the 14th) a close, heavy, and continuous skirmish fire was kept up. On Sunday night we were relieved by General Semmes.
I cannot speak in too high terms of the cool bravery of both officers and men, and the promptness and cheerfulness with which they obeyed and executed all orders. The heaps of slain in our front tell best how well they acted their part. Annexed is a list of killed and wounded.
Very respectfully, &c.,
ROBERT McMILLAN,
Colonel, Commanding Brigade.